The Central High School District hosted the annual Unity Summit on Sept. 26, bringing together high school athletes and coaches from across Section VIII Athletics in Nassau County to promote sportsmanship, civility, and unity in educationally based athletics. 

Eric Caballero, the district’s director of physical education, athletics, driver education, and health, co-chaired a committee with several other athletic administrators to facilitate the event. 

“Our goal is to instill these three core pillars in our student-athletes so they can reach their full potential—both on and off the field,” Caballero noted. “We want them to embrace the challenges that come with being a student-athlete, while also finding joy in the spirit of competition. That means learning to win with humility, accept defeat with dignity, and always represent themselves and their community with pride.” 

Student athlete volunteers from Kennedy, Calhoun, and Mepham High Schools were also on hand to welcome hundreds of attendees, direct them around the Brookside building, and offer icebreaker conversations.  

Guest speakers included Keith Davis from the New York Giants organization, Steve Webb from the New York Islanders and Team Up 4 Community organizations, Leah Janzten, an Ironman triathlete/century runner, and Danielle Vallas, a former NCAA hockey player. 

Janzten addressed the increasing rate of burnout of teens in sports, due to overuse, overtraining, and injuries. She noted that while some kids mentioned social media comparisons and the lack of instant gratification as possible causes, others simply seem to love the sport and the camaraderie it provides.  

“This provides an opportunity for us coaches to have an impact,” she added. 

Davis, an inspirational speaker and former University of Southern California and New York Giants football player, spoke to rooms full of student athletes about the ‘importance of the second half.’ He used the reference as an analogy for not giving up, despite any hardships kids face on or off the field.   

“To win, sometimes you have to change things up,” he said. “Part of that is creating your own culture on the team, one full of positivity even when things are looking down.” 

Keynote presenter, Mark Leinweaver, an MLB agent and Why Character Matters speaker, offered closing remarks to the ‘athletes chosen to be here today for a particular reason.’ 

“If you are an athlete or even an all-star player, it is so much more important to be a person first and a player second,” he noted. “Be the all-star player; bigger, faster, stronger, smarter; you can control that. But challenge yourself to be the hall of fame person, that’s what this is all about.”